Safety-indicator for internal-combustion engines



G. S. WITHAIVI, JR.

SAFETY INDICATOR FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-25, 1916.

L89,534 Patented Dec. 6, WZJL.

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UNITED sr GEtlItG-E S. WITHAM, JR, F AU SABLE FORKS, NEW YORK, ASSTGNORT0 GUSTAV'UFJ A. SUJHEANZJEI, 01E CLEVELAND, 011E110.

fiAIFETY-IIENIIDICATOF; FUR TNTERNAJLr-UOMBUSTTON ENGINE? specificationof Letters Patent.

. Patented 11cc. b, 1221..

\ Application filed. March 25, 1916. terial lt'o. $6,577.

dicators for Internal-Combustion Engines;

' and l-do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a safety indieating device for internalcombustion engines of the type employed in self-propelled vehicles, suchas automobiles, aeroplanes, motor boats, etc.

Fngines of this type are provided with circulatory lubricating systemsand it is important that the driver of the vehicle be apprised at alltimes 'of the conditions of How and temperature of this system.

The novel safety indicatingdevice of the present invention comprises animproved construction for indicating in an automatic and continuousmanner and at a point distant from the engine the above-named con- Allditions of the circulatory system.

The invention will be described more particularly in connection with theembodi ments thereof illustrated in the accompanying. drawings, but itwill be understood that the invention is illustrated by, but not limitedto, these specific embodiments.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 shows in elevation and partly indiagram an automobile engine with the invention embodied therein;

Fig. 2 is a view of the face of the thermal indicating instrument;

Fig. '3 isa cross-section of this instrument upon the line 3--3 of Fig.2;

. Fig. 4 is a cross-section upon the line 4l-4l of Fig. 2;

A Fig. 5 is a view of the face of another embodiment of the invention;and

' Fig. 6 is a view partly in section along the line (5-6 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar reference characters referto similar parts throughout the several views thereof, Fig. 1illustrates an internal combustion engine of any suitable constructionas applied to an automobile. It is shown as made up of cylinders 1 andcrank case 2 suitably inclosed within a hood 3. A radiator for thecooling liquid is indicated at A. It communicates with the cylinderjackets through pipes 5, and 6, there being a pump of any well knownconstruction for maintaining the circulation of the liquid.

The crank case 2 is provided with any suitable lubricating system inWhich the flow of oil is maintained by a pump 7 having an inlet openingat the bottom of the crank case and a discharge pipe 8 near the top ofthe case. From the pipe 8 there is tapped ofl' a small branch pipe 9leading to the indicating instruments upon the dash board 10 of thevehicle. It will be understood, of course, that the indicatinginstrument may be variously arranged wherever it may be convenient forobservation and that the arrangement will also depend upon the nature ofthe vehicle.

As shown herein, the pipe 9 leads to a coupling 11 from which there is abranch 12 tion of flow of the oil by the pressure thereof produced bythe circulatory pump. llf for any reason circulation stops, the gageWlll immediately indicate this fact. (As gages of this type ofconstruction are well known,

it is unnecessary to further illustrate or de scribe the same?) a 15designates the thermal indicator of the invention and the formillustrated in Fig.

\ 1 is shown in detail in Figs. 2, 3 and ,4. As

appears from these figures the instrument comprises a casing 20 withinwhich is' mounted a thermometer 21, the bulb of the latter beingcontained within an enlargement at the bottom of the casing. The

thermometer may be retained within the casin in any convenient manner.Tn order that indications of the thermometer may be observed, the casingis provided with a sight opening 22, coveredby a glass plate 23retainedin place upon the casing by a plate 2 1 upon which may be engraved thescale of the instrument. At the rear of the till casing and near thebottom thereof are proof which the circulation of oil about the bulb ofthe. thermometer is permltted. These apertures are surrounded withscrewthreaded projections 27.

One convenient; mode of connecting the pipes 14 and 17 .to the casing isshown 1n sectionin Fig. 3 which illustrates the connection of the latterpipe. This pipe has attached to its ,end an enlargement 28 formed with aconical front face to engage any other convenient mode of attaching theoil pipes to the, casing of the thermometer mziy be used.

n' the use of this instrument, as illustrated, 25 is the inlet portand'26 the out.-

let port, the oil flowing upward around the bulb of the thermometer, butthe operation remains the same if the flow is reversed.

. As this oil is under pressure, there will be a tendency for it to passupward around the stem of the thermometer, and to prevent this a bushingor washer 31 should be placed around the stem of the thermometerimmediately above the aperture 26.

Tn order that the thermometer may be attached to the dash board withoutproject-. ing any considerable distance in front of the same, the casingis provided with lugs 30 by means of which it may be screwed.

to the back of the board, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3. shouldpreferably be of a thickness corre- The entireinstrumentspondingapproximately-to that of the dash 7 board or 1nstrument board so thatwhen l in place the instrument will project only a slight distance abovethe top surface of the board.

In Figs. 5 and 6 another form of'thermal indicator has been shown. Inthis embodiment of the invention'there is a casin 40 having atuhularextension 41 near the ottom thereof for receivingthe bulb of athermometer 42. The thermometer may be ofany desired construction and ispreferably so arranged that it may be easily detached from the casing 40as by a thread projection 43. At the rear of the casing 40 are screw-,

A suitable bushing or washer 46 may be provided to prevent the oil fromflowing into the thermometer casing and coupling 43.

The casing 40 is formed so that it may be attached to the instrument'board' of a vehicle in any convenient manner. with this arrangement thethermometer will project onl a slight distance above the board, and 1fdesired, the construction may be arranged so that the upright" portionof the tube of the thermometer comes upon one side of the instrumentboard, while casing 40 and the pipe connections, are upon the other sideof the board.

Having described the construction of an apparatus embodying myinvention, the operation thereof may be briefly reviewed.

If the engine is running, pump 7 should maintain a flow of oil frombottom to top of the crank case, and there will be a certain pressure ofoil in pi e 8 and branch pipe 9 leading therefrom. 0 long .as thispressure Even is maintained, the gage 13 will indicate that the oil isbeing properly circulated. There are many abnormal conditions within thelubricating system, or sufiiciently related thereto as to be indicatedthereby, which would not be shown by the gage 13. These conditions areparticularly due to abnormal increase in temperature. A low grade ofoil, an insufficient amount of oil, low water in the radiator, withresulting over-heating thereof, hot bearings, dirty spark plu'gs,-andover-working of the en ine, are some of the abnormal conditions w ichresult in over-heating of the oil and may thereby give indication oftheir existence. By the provision of the thermal indicator 15, thedriver of the vehicle has before him at all times a means for indicatingthe ex istence of any of these abnormal conditions.

The valve 16 controlling passage of oil to the thermal indicator willunder normal conditions of use be open, but if for any reason it isdesired to shut off the supply of oil to the latter, it can be easilydone by simply manipulating this valve.

There is thus provided, accordin to the present invention, a mechanismwhich will indicate in a continuous and automatic manner both thethermal and the flow conditions of the circulatory system, therebyserving threaded extensions 44 to which thetubes 14 and. 17 may beconnected by means of the coupling hereinbefore described, or inanyother convenient manner. Thermometer 42 is so related to the casing 40in the construction illustrated that the bulb of the former comesdirectly below the channel 45 in the casing. It will be convenient toplace the bulb within the aperture of projection 44, where the -bulbwillbe directly in the path of the oil flowing through the device.

to protect the engine against accidental in: jur due to the variouscauses enumerated.

he indicator or gage 15 enables the operator to tell at a, glancewhether the oil has been over-heated or whether it is of normaltemperature. The indicator or gage 13 shows the operator whether thelubricating pump is operatin properly with the necessary amount of oiThe combination of the two indicators gives to the operator 8, completeand automatic indicatlon which enables him to tell whether the oil isbein properly clrculated in the right amount and 180 measaa whether thetemperature of this oil is high or low. High temperatures indicateabnormal conditions which require investigation. It is important thatboth the circulation of the oil and its temperature should be indicatedfor the reason thateither indication alone would not indicate all of theconditions which are necessary to be present for satisfactory operation.Without the thermal indicator the oil might be highly overheated withoutvwarning of a nature which the operator would heed. Without theindicator of the oil circulation, the thermal indicator might indicatethe temperature of the casing when no oil were present. The twoindicating devices coact to give a com plete indication such as cannotbe obtained with either device alone.

Various modifications or changes in the details of construction of myinvention may be made without limiting the scope of the same ordeparting from the principle thereof.

I claim 1. A device of the character described,

comprising in combination, an internal cornbustion engine, a lubricatingsystem there-.

for, including a pump, a gage for indicating fluid pressure, a pipeconnection between said system and said gage, a thermometer mountedadjacent said gage, a separate casing it'or said thermometer, a pipeleading from said connection to said casing, a valve in said pipe and areturn pipe leading from said casing to said system; substantially asdescribed.

2. A thermal indicating device for useein connection with thecirculatory systems of internal combustion engines, comprising a unitarycasing having an elongated central passage formed with an enlargedchamber at the lower end thereof, a thermometer within said passage withits bulb in said chamber, an aperture in the wall of said casingadjacent the upper end of said chamber, a second aperture in said casingnearthe bottom of said chamber and means surrounding said apertureswhereby said casing may be connected to pipes leading to the circulatorysystem; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

enonen s. WITHAM, JR.

